Patrol boat loses power at sea

AN investigation has been launched after a Navy patrol ship carrying a team of scientists and Devon sailors nearly sank off the coast of South America.

HMS Endurance, a 6,000-tonne icebreaker carrying sailors from Plymouth, was left with no power for six hours after the engine room flooded.

The 138 crew and passengers aboard the vessel were about to abandon ship when a tugboat responded to their Mayday call.

The ship was off the coast of Chile in South America when she got into difficulties.

Ten young researchers, aged 18 to 23, from the British Schools Exploring Society, were also on board and were airlifted to safety by helicopter.

HMS Endurance supports British Antarctic Survey Field Scientists in and around South Georgia and Antarctica using the ship, helicopters and boats.

Information from the study is sent to Taunton's United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, the centre for production of admiralty charts and other navigation tools.

One of the crew of the Portsmouth- based ship said: "It happened very quickly.

"We lost power and the lights went out as more water poured in.

"People feared for their lives.

"We were sinking under the huge volume of water and nearly lost the ship.

"The captain told us it was a close call.

"All the machinery rooms are wrecked and will take months to repair."

According to an article in a Sunday newspaper, assessors have put the repair bill for the ship – dubbed the Red Plum because of her colour – at £150 million.

One theory is a sea valve failed, causing water to gush on board.

A senior Navy source told the Sunday newspaper: "We came very close to the crew abandoning ship and we will need to look closely at what went wrong.

"It is unclear what happened but we think one factor may be that a seawater valve failed.

"If that's the case, there is little the crew can do."

The incident happened on December 18 and an investigation is ongoing.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence last night said it was too early to comment on the cost of the damage but that the flooding was contained and the ship was safe.

The spokesman said: "HMS Endurance lost power in navigationally constrained waters.

"Consideration was given to a whole range of actions, including the option of controlled evacuation.

"An investigation is under way into the exact circumstances – but the flood was not caused by grounding or collision.

"This was a serious situation which required prompt action by the ship's company to contain the flooding.

"Contingency plans are always in place should an order to evacuate the ship be made. Damage control measures were effective and the ship was anchored in safe water.

"A flood at sea is always a serious situation.

"However, all Royal Navy personnel are highly trained in damage control and sea survival procedures at sea."